Deep amber color. Chocolate layer cake, dates, some sweet pipe tobacco. Vanilla apparent on the palate. Not as "fleshy" as the Heaven Hill 7-year Bottled in Bond that preceded it; palate is more focused, like a tightly-wound cab--only this isn't going to unwind with age. A very slight bitterness at the end, but more like a dark espresso or dark chocolate rather than being offputting per se. Tasted in a Glencairn glass. I've never been a huge fan of this bourbon. I traded for a few bottles with Hibiki 12 a few years ago. It's good to have in your collection because of its rarity, but there are plenty of bourbons I'd like to drink more.